'Focussing on what's important'

Stuart Chandler, 47, works as an environmental officer and lives with his family in Clydebank.

Stuart has been recording his spending as part of a panel monitoring the changing cost of living over the past year.

'A year of money ups and downs'

'Fuel, food and jobs still key'

One year on, I would say that the economic climate is no better than it was. This time last year most retailers were having eye-opening sales trying to boost their sales figures, but there is not so much cut-throat pricing around this year.

Perhaps it's a sign those retailers have decided to try to make some profit in order to survive. If anything it's abundantly clear that confidence levels continue to diminish as unemployment soars across Scotland.

All around folks are curtailing their spending, and for some, including me, their holidays abroad are now shelved. The weak pound against the euro has destroyed many families' hopes of affording a couple of weeks in the sun. Where it's relatively inexpensive to get to the sunny resorts with the cut-price airfares available, it's the costs abroad that are putting people off.

I remember in the not too distant past being able to buy a meal for four in Spain for around £20 … now you're lucky if you get change out of £50-£60. On the up side, where most would happily stick the cost on a credit card and pay later there is now an encouraging sense of caution around.

Despite all the doom and gloom, my wife and I have reconciled our marriage and we are together again after two years of separation. One of the contributing factors has to be that I am firmly back on this planet.

See Stuart's diary of living costs

Against all odds I managed to get a job back in April after a total of 51 weeks of unemployment. I secured a position with a major High St catalogue retailer as a customer service manager. It has to be said that I was earning less than half of my previous salary but in the current job market beggars cannot be choosers.

After only three months my feet were swept away when it was decided that I did not perform to my new employer's expectations. One of my downfalls was that I was too customer focused! Yes, I was a customer service manager. I reluctantly decided that rather than fighting out of my corner I would be better seeking alternative employment and took the garden leave option.

I immediately started to seek new employment as they say it's always a little easier to find employment if you have been working. Gladly this would appear to be the case and I am now an environmental officer (a bin man) for a local council.

Interesting career path: Sales Assistant > Senior Sales Assistant >Sales Representative > Deputy Store Manager >Store Manager > Depot Manager > General Manager >Customer Service Manager >>> Bin man.

The next couple of years will be a real test for relationships and families across the country

If I am being totally honest it's for the better. For the first time since I had hair (approx 27 years ago) I now have a Monday to Friday job with family-friendly hours of work. I have a respectable salary and a responsible and very physical job. No longer do I have to maintain performance diaries, worry about financial targets or key result areas.

I come home at night physically tired but it's a good tired. Gone are the days of bringing work home and lying in bed at night unable to sleep, thinking how I am going to deliver my ever growing list of objectives and targets. I like being an environmental officer and the bunch of guys I work with? Yes they all like it as well ….

There may well be exceptions but I firmly believe that employers are exploiting the current job situation, paying well below the going rate and piling on the pressure at all levels. Recent reports from America indicate employers are showing increased productivity of around 6.2%. At what cost, however, to the employee? Increased salary and benefits at the same time are around 0.4%.

This will only increase the stress levels in the workplace as the productivity increase is a direct result of laying off workers and asking more from the remaining workforce. This will undoubtedly send many into the realms of anxiety and depression. The UK economic trend will no doubt mirror that of America as is the norm. The next couple of years will be a real test for relationships and families across the country.

I have to say that it was nice to enjoy some of the nice things in life, holidays abroad, nice cars etc; I can no longer afford such luxuries. Guess what? I do not really care.

What's more important to me now is that I have my family back together and I have managed to keep a roof over my head. I do still have concerns. I have two sons who will both very soon be entering the job market. I could potentially have a couple of thirtysomething dependants playing with their games consoles in their bedroom! Doesn't bear thinking about! It is an alarming trend that the biggest growth area in unemployment is people between the ages of 18-24.

Reports say that for the first time there has been an increase in new car sales for July, partly due to the government incentive to trade in your old banger. Perhaps proof that there is some money starting to move around.

Recent government initiatives to guarantee jobs or training for those that have been over one year unemployed are very encouraging. I can only hope these promises are delivered.

Keeping tabs on the cost of living